Dell PowerEdge R550 vs R660 Server Comparison
Posted by Lyndsie Ezell on Mar 09, 2023
Dell PowerEdge R550 and Dell PowerEdge R660 are two of Dell's popular rack servers.
Here's a comparison of the two servers:
- Processor: Both servers support Intel Xeon Scalable processors, but the R660 offers more and newer processor options, including more cores and higher clock speeds.
- Memory: The R660 supports more memory than the R550, with a maximum capacity of 8TB DDR5 compared to the R550's 1TB DDR4.
- Storage: The R660 supports up to 12x 2.5" drives (10x front + 2x optional rear), whereas the R550 supports up to 16x 2.5" or 8x 3.5". Although the R660 supports SAS/SATA/NVMe, the R550 only supports SAS/SATA.
- Connectivity: Both servers support up to 100Gb network adapters, but the R660 offers more connectivity options.
- Management: Both servers support Dell EMC OpenManage Enterprise management console, including embedded iDRAC9, Redfish API, and support for Dell EMC SmartFabric Services.
- Form Factor: The R550 is a 2U rack server, while the R660 is a 1U rack server. This means that the R660 takes up less space in the data center but has fewer expansion options.
Dell PowerEdge R550
The Dell PowerEdge R550 server is an excellent choice for businesses with demanding computing needs for a number of reasons. Firstly, it offers high performance, supporting demanding workloads such as virtualization, big data analytics, and high-performance computing. Additionally, it can be scaled up to meet growing computing needs, with support for up to 24 cores per processor and up to 1TB of memory. The R550 also provides ample storage capacity, with support for up to 16x 2.5" SAS/SATA drives. Networking capabilities are also strong, with multiple 10GbE and 25GbE network adapters, as well as InfiniBand, available to support high-speed networking requirements. The R550 also includes powerful management tools, such as iDRAC9 and OpenManage Enterprise, which provide extensive monitoring and management capabilities. It is designed for high reliability, with redundant power supplies and cooling fans, as well as features such as ECC memory and RAID controllers. The R550 is flexible and can be configured with a wide range of options depending on your needs.
The Dell PowerEdge R550 server is a versatile machine that can support a range of computing workloads and applications. It is an excellent choice for virtualization workloads, a great choice for running database applications that require high performance and scalability, can support big data analytics workloads, and is also capable of supporting cloud computing workloads, providing infrastructure as a service (IaaS) or platform as a service (PaaS) to customers.
Dell PowerEdge R660
The Dell PowerEdge R660 is an excellent choice for businesses that require high-performance computing capabilities. This server is designed to support a wide range of demanding workloads and applications, such as virtualization, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The R660 features powerful processors and a large memory capacity, allowing it to handle complex workloads with ease. Additionally, the R660 is highly scalable, allowing it to meet the growing computing needs of businesses. It supports up to 56 cores per processor and up to 8TB of memory, ensuring that businesses can easily scale up their computing capabilities as needed. The R660 also features robust networking capabilities, with support for multiple 10GbE and 25GbE network adapters, as well as InfiniBand, to support high-speed networking requirements. Its storage capacity is also impressive, with support for up to 12x 2.5" SAS/SATA/NVMe drives (10x front + 2x optional rear). Furthermore, the R660 includes powerful management tools, such as iDRAC9 and OpenManage Enterprise, which provide extensive monitoring and management capabilities.
The Dell PowerEdge R660 is a powerful, scalable, and flexible server that is well-suited for businesses that need to support mission-critical applications and workloads. Its high performance, scalability, and reliability make it an attractive choice for businesses that require advanced computing capabilities to stay ahead in a competitive market. The R660 is perfect for environments that process large amounts of data, high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, and AI. It can be configured with high-performance GPUs and accelerators, which are essential for training machine learning models and processing artificial intelligence workloads.
Overall, the R660 offers better performance, scalability, and manageability compared to the R550, making it a better choice for businesses with demanding workloads and high-performance computing needs. However, the R550 might be a more suitable option for businesses that require more storage space or prefer a 2U form factor.
Request Dell PowerEdge R660 Quote
Need a custom quote on either a R550 or R660 or have additional questions? Contact xByte today, [email protected]
Comparing Dell 14th and 15th Gen Memory 
Intel Ice Lake vs Cascade Lake Processors